Antarctica Fly/Sail Photography Expedition
Are you ready to embark on a once-in-a-lifetime photography journey to the beautiful and pristine landscapes of Antarctica? We are thrilled to announce that world-renowned landscape and nature photographer Daniel Kordan will be leading a photography workshop on the Greg Mortimer vessel, providing expert guidance and instruction on capturing the perfect shot. We have secured 36 spots on this boat for our photography workshop participants. Don't miss out on this incredible opportunity to learn from the best and create stunning images in one of the most breathtaking places on Earth.
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The Greg Mortimer ship provides a cozy and comfortable experience for an average of 100 expeditioners per voyage, offering 76 cabins with ocean views and private balconies. This modern vessel boasts a variety of amenities, including a lecture lounge, numerous observation areas, zodiac launching platforms, a restaurant serving delectable meals, a gym and wellness center, jacuzzis, a mudroom, and much more. Every detail is designed to enhance your Antarctic adventure, ensuring an unforgettable experience on board.
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The first passenger ship to feature the revolutionary Ulstein X-BOW®, this allows the ship to cross oceans more comfortably and efficiently, and with expansive observation decks to bring you closer to the environment, inviting communal areas and unsurpassed environmental credentials, the Greg Mortimer offers the perfect base camp for adventures at the outer limits of human exploration.
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Together with Aurora Expeditions, we are offering a joint fly/sail photography expedition that will excite anyone looking for a truly mesmerising voyage of a lifetime.
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This photography workshop to Antarctica is guided by 3 professional award-winning photographers, who will offer a scope of instruction, classes, critique sessions, workshops, and in-field guidance to enable you to expand upon your photography portfolio. Throughout this expedition to Antarctica, your dedicated photography guides will ensure that you are immersed in a wealth of knowledge that you'll always remember.
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This photography workshop to Antarctica features a one-of-a-kind FLY/SAIL experience, which is designed to maximise your time photographing the wonderful surrounds of your destination. To reach Antarctica, you will board an aircraft from Punta Arenas to King George Island. You will sail through the waters of the Drake section just once, to make the crossing from Antarctica to Ushuaia over the course of two days.
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For the duration of our tour, there will be a mindblowing 15 zodiacs onboard for making shore landings, whereby you may explore Antarctica intimately by foot.
Expedition leader
Daniel Kordan
Mark Denney
Dates
1 - 14 March, 2024
Difficulty Level
Easy
Group Size
Maximum of 30
Price
$18,900 USD
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All airport transfers mentioned in the itinerary.
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One night’s hotel accommodation including breakfast, in Punta Arenas on Day 1.
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Charter flight from Punta Arenas to King George Island.
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Onboard accommodation during voyage, including daily cabin service.
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All meals, snacks, tea and coffee during voyage.
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Beer, house wine and soft drinks with dinner.
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Captain’s Welcome and Farewell receptions including four-course dinner, house cocktails, house beer and wine, non-alcoholic beverages.
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All shore excursions and Zodiac cruises.
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Educational lectures and guiding services provided by Expedition Team.
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Complimentary access to onboard expedition doctor and medical clinic (initial consultation).
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One 3-in-1 waterproof, polar expedition jacket.
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Complimentary use of Muck Boots during the voyage.
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Comprehensive pre-departure information.
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Port surcharges, permits and landing fees.
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Gratuities for ship’s crew.
Included
Day 1: Arrive in Punta Arenas
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Arrive in Punta Arenas, where you will be met by a representative of Aurora Expeditions and transferred to our hotel. We ask that you arrive no later than 4.00 pm so that you may attend our important briefing this evening.
Please visit the Aurora Expeditions hospitality desk in the lobby between 10.00 am – 6.00 pm to collect your luggage cabin tags. Our team will confirm details regarding your embarkation day, answer any questions and provide you with information about where to dine or purchase last-minute items.
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Overlooking the Straits of Magellan, the city sits astride one of the world's most historic trade routes. Today, Punta Arenas reflects a great blend of cultural backgrounds, from English sheep ranchers to Portuguese sailors. It remains an utterly fascinating testament to Chile's rich history. Modern-day Punta Arenas is home to many popular restaurants, and bars, offering a mix of local and international fare (meals at your own expense today).
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At 7.00 pm this evening, meet your fellow expeditioners at a voyage briefing where we will reconfirm your transfer times for tomorrow, explain the procedures for your flight to King George Island and outline important IAATO regulations for visitors to Antarctica.
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Accommodation: Hotel Cabo de Hornos (or similar)
Day 2: Embarkation Day
This morning we will be transferred to Punta Arenas airport for our charter flight to King George Island, Antarctica (weather permitting). The flight will take approximately one hour and forty-five minutes. On arrival into King George Island our expedition team is on hand to greet you and to prepare you for your Zodiac transfer to the vessel. You will have time to settle into your cabin before our important safety briefings.
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Note: King George Island is located at the northern part of the Antarctic Peninsula in the South Shetland Islands and is one of the most remote places on Earth. A clear sky with perfect visibility is required for safe take-off and landing. A contingency plan will be applied to your itinerary should your flights not proceed today. Your safety is our utmost priority. We apologise in advance for any delays caused due to this unpredictable situation. Please refer to our terms and conditions for a more detailed explanation.
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Day 3-11: Weddell Sea and Antarctic Peninsula
It’s almost impossible to describe the feeling of arriving in Antarctica. Spotting your first iceberg and taking a deep breath of some of the most fresh, crisp air on earth is an experience that will stay with you forever.
Once we arrive, the western side of the Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetland Islands are ours to explore, and we have a host of choices available to us. Because we are so far south, we will experience approximately 18-24 hours of daylight and the days can be as busy as you wish.
Your experienced expedition team, who have made countless journeys to this area, will use their expertise to design your voyage from day to day, choosing the best options based on the prevailing weather, ice conditions, and wildlife opportunities.
We generally make landings or Zodiac excursions twice a day. You will want to rug up before joining Zodiac cruises along spectacular ice cliffs or among grounded icebergs, keeping watch for whales, seals and porpoising penguins. Zodiacs will also transport you from the ship to land, where you can visit penguin rookeries, discover historic huts and explore some of our favourite spots along the peninsula.
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While ashore we aim to stretch our legs, wandering along pebbly beaches or perhaps up snow-covered ridgelines to vantage points with mountains towering overhead and ice-speckled oceans below. If you have chosen an optional activity, you will have the option to do that whenever conditions allow, and of course keen polar plungers will have the chance to fully immerse themselves in polar waters - conditions permitting!
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In addition to Zodiac cruises and shore excursions, we may ship cruise some of the narrow, dramatic straits separating offshore islands from the mainland, or linger in scenic bays to watch whales travelling or feeding. This is a great time to enjoy the observation lounge or make your way to the bridge for uninterrupted views of Antarctica in all its splendour. Keep an ear out for the creak and deep rumble of glaciers as they carve their way from summit to sea. Take a quiet moment to experience the wonder of this incredible white continent.
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Central to the story of where Sir Ernest Shackleton’s ship, the Endurance became trapped in formidable sea ice, the Weddell Sea certainly is high on the list for many polar adventurers. A small set of islands standing off to the east of the Antarctic Peninsula collectively form the Antarctic Sound – the gateway to the Weddell Sea. With a well-deserved reputation as being an iceberg alley where large icebergs try to escape the Weddell Sea through Antarctic Sound, often making navigation difficult. However, the rewards can be great. Fossils are a reminder of a more temperate era – gastropods, large clams, and spiral-shaped ammonites, all turned to stone.
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We hope to experience memorable wildlife encounters as the Weddell boasts a large Adélie penguin colony just outside of Antarctic Sound, some of which breed on the rocky slopes of a small volcanic island, where a large colony of Antarctic blue-eyed shags jostle for space with nest-building Wilson’s storm petrels. On thrilling Zodiac excursions or slicing a path through the maze of sea ice in your kayak, keep watch for chinstrap and gentoo penguins in and out of the water, as well as humpback, minke and orca whales. Your camera is sure to get a solid workout during your time in the Weddell Sea.
Day 12-13: Drake Passage Crossing
Enjoy a final morning landing in the South Shetland Islands before we re-enter the Drake Passage for our return journey to South America.
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With lectures and film presentations to complete our Antarctic experience, there is still plenty of time to enjoy the magic of the Southern Ocean and the life that calls it home. There is time for reflection and discussion about what we have seen and experienced. We hope you become ambassadors for Antarctica telling your family, friends and colleagues about your journey to this magical place, advocating for its conservation and preservation so that they might one day visit the region to experience what you have been lucky to see and do here.
As we approach the tip of South America, our Captain may sail close to legendary Cape Horn, weather and time permitting.
Day 14:Disembark Ushuaia
During the early morning, we cruise up the Beagle Channel, before quietly slipping into dock in Ushuaia, where we will be free to disembark around 8.00 am. Farewell your expedition team and fellow passengers as we all continue our onward journeys, hopefully with a newfound sense of the immense power of nature.
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On disembarkation, passengers on flights departing prior to 14:00 will be transferred directly to Ushuaia Airport, while those fortunate enough to be continuing their travels in this spectacular region of the world, will be transferred to their post-voyage Ushuaia accommodation. Passengers flying after 14:00 will have time to explore Ushuaia, prior to an afternoon airport transfer, the details of which will be provided onboard prior to disembarkation.
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Note: At the conclusion of the voyage, we do not recommend booking flights departing Ushuaia prior to 12.00 pm on the day of disembarkation in case there are delays.
Payment Terms
A deposit of 5000 USD is due upon registration and will secure your spot on this photography expedition. The second payment of 5000 USD is due by Jul 1, 2023. The final balance will be due by Oct 1, 2023
Good to know
All items of a personal nature including but not limited to: alcoholic beverages and soft drinks (outside of dinner service), laundry services, personal clothing, additional medical expenses such as medication, gratuities, Wi-Fi, email or phone charges
Note: A $15 USD per person per day gratuity for the crew is automatically added to your onboard account. It is at your discretion if you would like to remove the tip (or increase/decrease the amount) when you settle your bill. It is not necessary to tip the expedition team members. This gratuity amount is included for suites as part of their ‘Suite Benefits’.
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Cancellation and Refund Policy
We strongly recommend you to get Trip Cancellation & Travel Insurance after booking your trip.
If you cancel and your place is otherwise filled, we will refund you the full amount you have paid towards the tuition, minus a $500 service charge.
If you cancel and your place on the Workshop does not fill, then you will be refunded according to the following schedule, based on the full fee of the Workshop:
Greater than 180 days from the start date of the Expedition: Full refund minus $2500.
120 days or more: 50% refund
Less than 120 days: no refund
Refunds will be paid by the same method that the original payment was made.
Disclaimer
We highly recommend that you get a travel and medical insurance. Your own domestic medical insurance and private health scheme will not cover you whilst you are overseas.
The tour will always dependent on weather, as the weather can be highly unpredictable. Likewise, sightings of wildlife will be dependent on the movements of the animals themselves and cannot be guaranteed.
Features of the Greg Mortimer ship
This expedition is designed to maximize your time in Antarctica, utilizing a fly-and-sail experience between Punta Arenas and King George Island that results in less travel overall during the round-trip to and from our destination.
During this expedition, the Greg Mortimer will be your home away from home. As such, it has been designed to meet your every need during your adventure to Antarctica!
In the event of an incident or accident, a trained medical team will be on-hand throughout your journey aboard the Greg Mortimer, providing all necessary treatment from the ship’s fully-equipped medical centre, allowing you to concentrate on your adventure without worrying about your wellbeing.
Every participant will receive an expedition jacket from our partners, Aurora Expeditions, upon boarding the ship. This custom-designed 2-in-1 jacket offers sophisticated styling with a warm interior and is perfect for wearing over base layers during your Zodiac excursions.
SHIP AND CABIN INFORMATION
The Greg Mortimer is specially designed to offer you an incredibly relaxing experience after a long day of exploring the Antarctic. Each stateroom includes a private bathroom, personal storage, twin and double-bed configuration options, international power outlets, daily cabin service, as well as all of the basic amenities that you will expect to need onboard.
If you’re part of a family or a group, then you’ll love the interconnecting staterooms aboard the Greg Mortimer, which offer more privacy for those who still want to be close.